Quite often, the disease overtakes people in old age. Statistics say that more than 6% of the number of fractures occur precisely on the neck of the thigh. And 90% - in the elderly. There is nothing good in fractures for young people, but a fracture of the femoral neck in the elderly almost never grows together naturally. This is facilitated by thinning of bones due to joint diseases, arthritis and osteoporosis.
Even a small traumatic effect on unhealthy tissue leads to a fracture, there are often cases when a hip fracture in the elderly occurs even from a small shock. Fractures of the type of “knocked-in joint” are dangerous because they are difficult to diagnose without an x-ray; a person walks on his own for some time. Sometimes the treatment of the sciatic nerve is an incorrect diagnosis, and it was necessary to treat a fracture of the femoral neck in the elderly .
What to look for
When a constant pain appears in the pelvic area, and when you try to turn or raise a leg, it intensifies, there is every reason to suspect a hip fracture in the elderly.
- The foot can be unnaturally twisted and turned so that the foot practically touches the plane.
- The leg does not rise and does not turn on its own.
- Shortening is noticeable in comparison with a healthy leg by 2-4 cm.
- With a “knocked-in” fracture, when the joint is not displaced, the pain is felt in the groin, having a constant character and intensifies only with movement.
What to do before the doctor arrives
- You must immediately call an ambulance.
- Put the patient in bed on his back.
- Give pain medication.
- Try to fix the diseased leg without turning it and without straightening it, with the seizure of joints, knee and hip.
- If there is no fixation, put your sore foot on a flat pillow, under the forefoot, place sandbags or a roll of rolled soft tissue.
Treatment and recovery
In the first minutes it is very important to support a sick person who is experiencing severe stress from falling and pain. You need to try to calm him down and convince him that a hip fracture in the elderly is not a sentence, with the necessary treatment, desire and efforts of the patient after the injury, many recover and live a full life.
Treatment can be either surgical or conservative when surgery is not possible due to the general condition of the patient. Hip fracture surgery in the elderly is a serious test for the patient, but it allows you to fix the joint most firmly using special techniques.
If surgical intervention is not possible, then conservative methods of treatment give good results, provided that the patient follows all the recommendations of the doctors and makes every effort to recover.
Patient care after surgery and conservative treatment
- When the operation has taken place, at the beginning of recovery the pain does not go away for 5-7 days. If the patient is at home, give painkillers, show sympathy, encourage and calm him down.
- In the early days, there may be urinary incontinence, do not panic, with proper treatment and care, the problem will be resolved soon.
- Use a regular jar to divert urine for both men and women. To defecate, you need to purchase the Lada, it is most convenient.
- Be sure to ensure that the patient drank enough fluid. No need to give carbonated drinks, herbal tea, kefir, compotes and milk are suitable.
- Be sure to observe the regularity of food with an abundance of fiber (salads, fruits and vegetables), dairy products. You do not need to give a lot of meat, include bran, additives that improve intestinal motility in the diet.
Physical therapy for the elderly with a diagnosis of hip fracture
For the patient, a “Balkan frame” is arranged above the bed, if this name does not tell you anything, ask the doctor, they will explain everything to you. The height of the frame should be comfortable so that the sick person can be pulled up and moved on the bed with his hands. For rehabilitation and a quick return to normal life, exercise therapy for the elderly should be performed, in accordance with the recommendations of the doctor.
- Already in the first days it is necessary to do respiratory, restorative physical education: actively move the toes of the feet, do circular movements with it, strain the muscles of the hips and lower legs, rotate the ankle, and use the frame to sit in bed.
- Turn in bed, tilt the body and head, combining them with breathing exercises.
- A healthy leg should not be forgotten and actively exercise therapy for the elderly and on it so that the muscles do not lose tone .
- If there is no hood, then at the time prescribed by the doctor you need to learn to walk on crutches. With good treatment, even after surgery, even on the 5th day they are allowed to bend and unbend the leg, and put on crutches after two to three weeks.
It should be remembered about age, you can not prematurely load the leg, this can lead to displacement of fragments in the joint or a more serious complication - aseptic necrosis. Active classes will allow in three or four months to load a sore leg no more than 30% of body weight, you need to move with a cane or crutch. Full rehabilitation is possible only after six months, and restoration of disability - after eight months.